DIY Tile Coasters: Tutorial

I'm obsessed with Etsy, even more so lately because of my 11 year old daughter starting her own shop. I've been shopping quite a bit, but sometimes I find myself thinking, "I can make those for way cheaper!" (even though that REALLY makes those in the Etsy forums very upset *dun dun dun*). Now, I don't always get around to making everything, but these DIY Tile Coasters were so easy that it would be ridiculous for me to say I didn't have time to do them. They literally cost me 13 cents each, and took about 15 minutes for the entire set.

DIY Tile Coasters

DIY Tile Coasters make great gifts for any holiday. Tile Coasters as Mother's Day gifts come to mind right away, but lots of other holidays will work!

My inspiration for this project came from Pinterest, Etsy, and other blogs. The SITS Girls also posted about making their own tiles - LOVE them. You can use regular Sharpies, but some crafters have reported their ink rubbing off. I haven't had that issue yet, but wanted to throw a warning out just in case! They also make oil-based Sharpie paint markers and ceramic paint markers, too. Try them and let me know how you like 'em!

Supplies Needed:

--Sharpies (on hand) (or these awesome-expensive porcelain markers)
--Ceramic Tiles ($0.13 each at Home Depot)
--felt circles for the back, so they don't scratch your furniture

No directions needed, really. Simply draw on the tiles and then either bake for 15 minutes at 350, or cover with a sealant. Add felt to the back, with super glue or hot glue.

Note: I've used mod podge and spray sealants but be careful because some will make the Sharpies smear.

I got the "rigid" effect on the sides by putting down duck tape, coloring over it, and pulling it off.

This one was inspired from Pinterest... I saw a similar tile and knew I wanted to recreate it! I love dot and line art, so I can see this becoming a trend in my house!

I don't like this one, at all, but figured I should include it just in case you screw some of your tiles up, too. Then you will know you're not alone. :) Luckily, they're less than 15 cents a piece so you won't be too upset!

I'm not great at drawing, AT ALL, but I still had fun making these! I'm going to have the girls make some for my mom for Mother's Day. Even if she doesn't use them as coasters, just having them around is a great reminder of her terror lovely grandchildren, right?

Comments

I really, really hope you asked permission from the original seller before you posted this–because otherwise, you may be infringing on the intellectual property of the originator.

It’s one thing to come up with an idea, or make something inspired by another person. It’s another thing to flout your tutorial point-blank calling out the original seller. It’s not only in poor taste, it’s very likely actionable by the originator.

You have now pissed off the “gods” of Etsy…Be prepared for the wrath of the resellers! I so miss Regretsy! It was so much fun to look at the crap people make and try to sell. There are some great sellers, but for the most part it’s people selling crap they’ve bought for $1, and are now trying to sell at a 200% profit or more. Oh, and if you haven’t noticed, they’re also VULTURES. Go bug someone else, Etsy people!Melody recently posted..15 Healthy Easter Ideas

Those of you reading this should be aware that the top set of coasters is an IP violation– the poster has ripped them off from a shop on Etsy!!! I AM SERIOUS! THIS IS SERIOUS, GUYS.

Please don’t be fooled by the Orwellian alterations to this post to include Pinterest and the SITS girls.
Etsy “hacks” take away money from the handmade community, devalue the work of sellers who depend on Etsy for their income, and are generally a very scummy thing to do.

I removed the Etsy shop and photos because of the responses on Etsy. They said it was in bad taste to leave a link to the shop. Some even called it a slap in the face. I removed it because I didn’t want anyone upset. But, of course, that is not good enough for the Etsians… nothing ever is. :)

“But, of course, that is not good enough for the Etsians… nothing ever is. :)” I’m surprised you feel comfortable saying that, Sadie. You and your daughter have a shop together on Etsy, and you’re donating money to a charity to prevent bullying. Why would you attempt to gaslight Etsians when you *are* one?

While I would agree that some–not most, not even many–react is terrible and downright unseemly for a business owner, the question you asked wasn’t appropriate, if you had given it any thought.

All you have to do is ask, generally. I am also a shop owner, and if someone asked if I’d write a tutorial for one of my items–sure! I’ll even tell you where to get the supplies, classes, etc. It usually ends in someone not wanting to learn the art, though.

I cannot be blamed for their actions. Even if my question was inappropriate – though I don’t think it was – their responses are something THEY are responsible for. However, they saved me lots of money.. several of their shops I had on my “to buy” list. You never know how many sales you’re going to lose when you act like a jerk, ya know?

And.. I can’t say that drawing on a tile with sharpie should be considered an art, but whatever works.

I assume this comment won’t make it through without some “SEWIOUS” edits or other attempts to trivialize what I have to say.
However, I’m willing to attempt civil discourse anyway:

Please be aware that most sellers on Etsy aren’t drawing with sharpies on Home Depot tiles. Usually, we’re talking high-grade ceramic, and special-purpose ceramic paints and food-safe glazes at the very least.

Also, it is in very bad taste to point someone to Etsy only to say “They’re overcharging- don’t support them!” Remember that Etsy has a Quit Your Day Job feature; many Etsy sellers depend on their shops to pay medical or utility bills, support sick children, or try to make a living.

Undermining their work by stealing their photos and designs (as with the coasters) devalues handmade work. In addition, using photos without permission (as you have done on your Facebook page with the red and white coasters) is an intellectual property violation, and it opens you up to legal liabilities.

If you read my original post, you would’ve seen me say “you can purchase these tiles HERE (link) for $32.00 plus $5.00 shipping. Even if you aren’t interested in purchasing this item, I encourage you to browse their shop because they’ve got some neat stuff!” — if you think that is saying “they’re overcharging – don’t support them”! then you have some “sewious” problems.

I never said my tiles were as good as theirs – I said I made mine for $0.13 each and so can you. However, you can buy them HERE (LINK)… and plenty of traffic was directed to that shop. Over 50 views in just an hour or two. I imagine, with as few sales as she has, that was a nice spike for her. Alas, the Etsy forum-goers spoke.. and I removed her link (and any chance of sending business her way).

I am not open to any legal liabilities… so I’m not concerned on that front. :)

RE: Melody’s comment – “You have now pissed off the “gods” of Etsy…Be prepared for the wrath of the resellers! I so miss Regretsy!”

The wonderful members of Regretsy are alive and also pissed at this blogger. Their comments are the same as she received at Etsy…only they are calling her really (really, really) nasty names. Regretsy members may be able to appreciate the humor in tacky crafts, but tacky behavior is just not defendable.

And, she did the Etsy post from her kid’s shop account – she now has both Etsy and Regretsy questioning her kid’s shop. Nice move, mommy.

It’s one thing to post DIY’s for mass produced things like you find at Anthrpologie and Pottery Barn. It’s quite a different tale when you get your ‘inspiration’ from Etsy, a site full of other people like you who are trying to make a living.

I think that adding the link back to the original shop was tasteless, but removing the link is almost worse, since you aren’t attributing the original idea to anyone. Even if the idea wasn’t fully original, the seller you got the idea from was the originator of the style you are trying to emulate. If this were MY artwork, I’d be rather put off that you posted it as a DIY, but I’d be LIVID if you didn’t give credit where credit is due.

I follow a number of DIY blogs on Tumblr and most of them are classy enough to do a number of things you fail to do:
1: Credit given where credit is due. Where ever the inspiration came from is linked back to. It’s usually a larger company, Like Anthro, that charges 200 dollars for a necklace.
2: Like I said before, they usually make posts about stuff from a larger company, and most of the people I follow frown upon posting your inspiration from Etsy. Many of them buy and/or sell there and handmade work deserves respect.
3: They discourage their followers from straight up selling anything made following their DIY posts. Most of them know that they are technically infringing on an intellectual copyright and have disclaimers that they DID NOT come up with the design, and anything they make is purely for their own enjoyment. I’m not saying that you’re suggesting anyone sell a bunch of these tiles, or anything else for that matter, but it would be nice to see a bit more professionalism here.

Linked to her.. got yelled at. Removed link.. got yelled at. Again, shows how so many Etsians are (and why their shops are so unsuccessful).

You say it’s okay to rip off a designer as long as they end up selling their design to a large company, but using a design and making your own and giving credit to the actual creator (sharpie + tile + peace sign isn’t exactly an original design but okay) is not okay? Got it.

A lot of time, care, joy and effort goes into creating my items. It would be a big slap to the face if you bought something and tried to recreate it, only to fail miserably because you don’t have the proper materials, supplies, experience and then to have my shops’ names on that blog would be the icing on the insult cake.

Do yourself a favor and create your own items, stop trying to dissect what others do simply because you feel you can do better, for cheaper. Eventually you’re going to do that to the wrong person’s items and they’ll end up suring you for copyright infringement.

And yes, the sharpie WILL wear off. Run them through the dishwasher and they’ll start coming off immediately. Why? Because you didn’t use the proper tools for the job.

I don’t have a dishwasher, but thanks for the tip. :) I never said I could do better (I even poked fun at myself because I am NOT an artist), just said I wouldn’t spend $32 on coasters and recreated a set for 52 cents.

They’re coasters. We don’t really wash them too often… but like I said, so far so good! :) There are literally thousands of people that post tiles + sharpies, yet because I was trying to link to an Etsy shop and get them some attention it’s “oh so horrible”. Go troll elsewhere and for heaven’s sake stop trying to get traffic from my blog by linking yours… I’m going to remove your link every. single. time.

I’m saddened by the way this blogger negatively paints all Etsy sellers because of one incident, as well as the cruel remarks about the kind of items and art being sold in Etsy shops. Remember, words hurt and there are real people behind each shop.

The idea that anyone needs to ask an Etsy seller PERMISSION to try to make what they sell at home is ABSURD. Are the Etsy moderators giving the impression to the rest of the internet-reading universe that crafters somehow OWN their craft and other people can’t make them?!?!?

On a moral note, MAYBE it can be considered nice to give credit where credit is due in this case… but is there some kind of legal obligation? No. Will Etsy come and sue your ass for drawing on tiles or knitting a scarf or whatever else? Hell no.

And to the person who couldn’t even leave their name but just have an Anon. comment posted – “Please be aware that most sellers on Etsy aren’t drawing with sharpies on Home Depot tiles. Usually, we’re talking high-grade ceramic, and special-purpose ceramic paints and food-safe glazes at the very least.” – Even though SOME crafters might be using high grade ceramic, MOST are using Sharpies and Home Depot tiles.

… “Remember that Etsy has a Quit Your Day Job feature; many Etsy sellers depend on their shops to pay medical or utility bills, support sick children, or try to make a living.” a) of course they’re trying to promote the idea of ‘quit your day job’ – the hipsters who run that site want to sell you on the idea that you can stay at home, craft all day, and sell it on etsy. I’ve yet to meet someone who has done this, it’s impossible. b) Even though there are some who are hoping to have SOME kind of a second income coming in via etsy or crafting, let’s not play the “I know sick people so I have to pay their bills” guilt trip. Sales aren’t made that way, whether that’s a true story or not.

“Undermining their work by stealing their photos and designs (as with the coasters) devalues handmade work.” (People who post pictures online are sharing it via internet, unless you’ve got a trademark on your photos. It’s not stealing. Designs aren’t being stolen. And it doesn’t devalue handmade work.) “In addition, using photos without permission (as you have done on your Facebook page with the red and white coasters) is an intellectual property violation, and it opens you up to legal liabilities.” No it doesn’t. Sites like Regretsy have reposted pictures from etsy hundrets of times, no legal discourse has required these pictures to be taken down. Stop inventing legaleese because you don’t like something.

Im sotry but it seems obvious to me that you have never studied any copyright law ever. Someones photograph is in faxt their intellectual property and that person does have the right to sue Id someone uses it without permission. Etsy wont be the ones suing as etsy has no right to the photo. The person who took the photo does. As a crafter trying to make a living on my crafts it is not only distasteful but plain rude to poat something saying you can buy these for $32 here or you can make them for pennies and they are super easy. Plus the blogger stated that she loved one of the designs on a tile she saw and copied the design. Yea that is art and yea that is copyright infringment. Oh and sorry for any typos. I am on my phone and the keyboard is horrible on it.

I made these with my 8,7 and 2 1/2 year olds. They had a ball. Our tiles cost .16 at Home Depot and we bought a pack of Sharpies for 6$. We decide since we were already at Home Depot that we would just buy some carpet instead of felt for the back. It worked out great. My only sadness is that the yellow Sharpie turned brown. But it was still a fun craft project for the kids!!

Thanks for sharing, I have seen this done with bowls, plates, and mugs, but I would have never thought to make coasters. My kids and I will be making these soon. I will take my happy a$$ to home depot and buy some 13 cent tile and make great memories and fun gifts with my kids.

Any craft goes through “FADS” With that being said…Many Artists on esty are getting miffed that people have figured out HOW to do THEIR own art. Anyone that can use google can figure out how to make something..(or youtube). All these negative nellies need to get a life.
I would not personally eat off sharpie art (I’m weird about chemicals) BUT I am making signs for my garden to label my plant rows with them. GUESS WHAT I found this site using google people..

I’ll admit that I stopped reading the comments about half-way through, so forgive if this is out of place…But to those saying SlapDash stole this from an Etsy store..well, maybe that IS where she found it. However, I have all the stuff to make this exact same thing (only using pictures) found it on Pinterest, with NO store or seller attached. There were TONs of these pins. My point is, that Etsy seller is obviously not the only one out there making these, & Slapdash is not the only one posting them!
(PS: Slapdash, I bought those same tiles at HD, & they rang up at 1 cent each! So I splurged & bought cork squares at Michaels, & am glueing them on the back. Looks much better than felt.)

1 cent each?! That’s awesome!!! And I love the coasters with photos much better than these — I made them years ago with photos from the zoo. There are SO many options. And yes I’m sure someone on Etsy sells them too LOL.

I scrolled down to comment on the one you did that you didn’t like, and I am saddened by all the nasty comments. I agree coping something identically is wrong, but using tiles to make coasters, and using sharpies is not something new. I am a crafter and I make things. I typically try to make something before I buy it, because I can. People who shop on Etsy or craft fairs or places like that do not make things. They buy it because they don’t want to make it. If someone is looking for a blog post about how to do something it is because they want to do it themselves and will probably never buy something they can make.

Now back to what I was really going to comment on:
If you have not cured it in the oven you can remove the sharpie with rubbing alcohol. After you cure them they are safe to wash, and should last a long time, even with out sealant.

Trackbacks

[…] upset if someone wrote a blog post and used an item from their shop as inspiration. I had created a DIY Tile Coaster Tutorial, and wanted to get feedback. I saw the item on Etsy for $32, and recreated it for $0.52. I was […]